Notchback motor vehicle

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to the body ( 1 ) of a notchback motor vehicle comprising, at the rear, a rear load floor ( 6 ) to which are fixed two lateral members ( 2 ) each comprising a wheel housing ( 7 ) and a lateral quarter pillar ( 3 ) forming one part of one side of the passenger compartment. The two lateral quarter pillars ( 2 ) are held together at the top thereof by means of a cross-member ( 19 ) known as the rear window upper cross-member which is designed to support the roof. The inventive vehicle also comprises means ( 11,15,16,17 ) for stiffening at least one lateral member in such a way as to transfer the forces exerted on the bottom of said body ( 1   a ) when the vehicle is moving directly to the upper cross-mcmber. According to the invention, the stiffening means comprise a panel stiffener ( 15 ) which is joined to the lateral quarter pillar and which extends from the rear window lower cross-member ( 5 ) to the rear window upper cross-member.

[0001] The present invention concerns a motor vehicle known as“notch-back”.

[0002] It must be understood here and in the framework of the inventionthat a vehicle known as “notch-back” is a vehicle with four individualdoors for the passengers and in which the body has a first angle linebetween the engine hood and the front windshield and a second angle linebetween the rear window and the trunk of the vehicle, the rear windowbeing attached to the body.

[0003] In this type of vehicle, the fixed rear shelf limits the loadingpossibilities because the communication between the trunk and thepassenger compartment is limited when the rear seat is folded. Thislimitation can occasionally be detrimental when it is desired to loadbulky objects through the trunk.

[0004] A goal of the invention is then to remedy these above-mentioneddrawbacks, and thus to propose a “notch-back” vehicle body that makes itpossible to load bulky objects through the trunk.

[0005] To this effect, an object of the invention is a body of a“notch-back” motor vehicle, comprising, in its rear portion, a rearloading floor on which are fixed two lateral pillars each comprising awheel housing and a rear-end lateral pillar constituting a portion of aside of the passenger compartment, the two rear-end lateral pillarsbeing maintained to each other at their upper portion by a cross membercalled “rear window upper cross member” and adapted to support the roof,characterized in that it further comprises means for stiffening at leastone lateral pillar so as to transfer forces to which the lower portionof said body is subjected when the vehicle is moving directly to theupper cross member.

[0006] Advantageously, the stiffening means comprise a panel stiffenerhaving a shape conjugated to the rear-end lateral pillar.

[0007] Advantageously, also, the stiffening means comprise two rear-endlower wall portions having thicknesses dimensioned to support the forcesand welded to the stiffener.

[0008] Advantageously, finally, the stiffening means comprise an upwardstrengthening piece having a thickness dimensioned to support theforces.

[0009] The invention also concerns a notch-back motor vehicle comprisinga rear shelf adapted to cover the space between the trunk and at least aportion of the foldable rear seat, characterized in that the shelf isremovable.

[0010] Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will bebetter understood by reading the detailed description made in referenceto the following figures in which:

[0011]FIG. 1 is a partial perspective rear view of a vehicle bodyaccording to the state of the art;

[0012]FIG. 2 is a partial perspective interior view of the rear portionof a vehicle body according to the invention;

[0013]FIG. 3 is a partial perspective side view of the rear portion of avehicle body according to the invention.

[0014]FIG. 1 shows a body 1 of a notch-back motor vehicle such as itpresently comes out of a welding workshop in a manufacturing unit,immediately before it enters in the assembly workshop, and after thepainting operation.

[0015] This body 1 has, in its rear portion, two lateral pillars 2 inthe form of two rear-end lateral pillars 3. These pillars 3 areconnected to each other, on the one end, at its upper portion through across member called rear window upper cross member, positioned under theroof, and on the other end, at its lower portion through a shelf 4 madeof stamped metal and a cross member called rear window lower crossmember 5.

[0016] The lateral ends of the upper cross member, which is not shown,and of the shelf 4, are welded to the interior of the rear-end pillars3, and thus, stiffen the body. The forces to which the lower portion 1 aof the body is subjected when the vehicle is moving pass directlythrough the shelf 4 in this configuration.

[0017] The presence of this shelf 4 is particularly detrimental foraccessibility of the passenger compartment through the trunk, even whenthe rear seat is completely folded.

[0018] In addition, the loading capacity of the notch-back vehicle isreduced and it is not possible to load bulky objects.

[0019] To solve this problem, a body is proposed, the right lateral sideof whose rear portion is shown on FIGS. 2 and 3, the left lateral sidebeing strictly identical.

[0020] This body 1 comprises, in a manner known in itself, a loadingfloor 6 to which is welded a first sub-assembly constituted by a wheelhousing 7, which is itself welded to a rear fender liner 8, these partsbeing welded at their upper portion to the fender liner closure 9 and tothe rear-end lower liner 10.

[0021] On this sub-assembly is welded a second sub-assembly constitutedby a strengthened upward strengthening piece 11 (whose thickness hasbeen considerably increased as compared to those used according to thestate of the art), and by a rear gutter liner 12. The assembly of thesetwo sub-assemblies is made through a rear lateral shelf 13 and arear-end upper liner 14. This second sub-assembly also comprises a sidepanel stiffener 15 having a large thickness and whose dimensions aresuch that it follows substantially the shape of the final rear-endpillar 2.

[0022] So as to ensure a perfect cohesion between these sub-assemblies,front and rear rear-end lower walls 16, 17 are provided and are weldedto the side panel stiffener 15 and to the fender liner 9 so as to resultin a ribbed structure between the two above-mentioned sub-assemblies. Toperfect the assembly and ensure stiffness of the thus constitutedassembly, the side of the passenger compartment 18 is connected theretoby welding. The assembly with the rear window upper cross member 19 isthen effected in a manner known in itself by welding, as well as that ofthe rear window lower cross member, which serves only to receive therear window.

[0023] With such a configuration, the forces to which the lower portionof the body is subjected when the vehicle is moving are directlytransferred to the upper cross member.

[0024] This body 1 makes it possible to use a removable rear shelf thatdoes not participate to the stiffening of the body like those accordingto the state of the art. This shelf can, in a manner known in itself, bea thermoformed shelf in plastic material or any other equivalent system.

[0025] When it is desired to load bulky objects in the notch-backvehicle comprising the body according to the invention, it is then easyto remove the rear shelf in the same manner as a rear shelf of a vehicleequipped with a hatch door and to fold the rear seat.

[0026] Of course, it is self-evident that many modifications of thedevice can be envisioned without leaving the scope of the invention.

1. Body (1) of a notch-back motor vehicle, comprising, in its rearportion, a rear loading floor (6) on which are fixed two lateral pillars(2) each comprising a wheel housing (7) and a rear-end lateral pillar(3) constituting a portion of a side of the passenger compartment, thetwo rear-end lateral pillars (2) being maintained parallel to each otherin their upper portions by a cross member (19) called “rear window uppercross member” and adapted to support the roof, means (11, 15, 16, 17)for stiffening at least one lateral pillar so as to transmit forces towhich the lower portion of said body (1 a) is subjected when the vehicleis moving directly to the upper cross member, characterized in that thestiffening means comprise a panel stiffener (15) having a shapeconjugated to the rear-end lateral pillar and extending from the rearwindow lower cross member (5) to the rear window upper cross member. 2.Body according to claim 1, characterized in that the stiffening meanscomprise two rear-end lower wall portions (15, 16) having thicknessesdimensioned so as to support the forces and welded to the stiffener. 3.Body according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the stiffeningmeans comprise an upward strengthening piece (11) dimensioned to supportthe forces.
 4. Notch-back motor vehicle comprising a body according toany of the previous claims and a rear shelf adapted to cover the spacebetween the trunk and at least a portion of the foldable rear seatcharacterized in that the shelf is removable.